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Kāwika II
Kāhala Palace, Honolulu, Hawaii |Spouse = Queen Māhealani (m. 2002) |Issue = Princess Isabella Prince Jason Prince Jackson |Name = David Eric Oliver Kāwika |House = Alohalani |Father = Kāwika I |Mother = Queen Leialoha |Religion =}}Kāwika II (Full name: David Eric Oliver Kāwika; born 7 February 1974) is the current King of Hawaii. Born into the House of Alohalani, he is the eldest child of Kāwika I and his wife Queen Leialoha. At his birth, Kāwika II second-in-line for the Hawaiian throne, but became second-in-line following the death of his grandfather King Kamaka in 1995 and the ascension of his father to the throne. Kāwika I died of heart failure on 13 May 2009, and Kāwika II ascended to the throne. In 2002, Kāwika II married pharmacist Tallulah Sato (later Queen Māhealani), making Sato the first non-Native Hawaiian to marry into the royal family. The King and Queen have three children together: Princess Isabella, Prince Jason, and Prince Jackson; if Princess Isabella ascends to the throne as expected, she will become Hawaii's first queen regnant since the restoration of its independence. Early life Prince David Oliver was born on 7 February 1974 at Kāhala Palace in Honolulu as the eldest child of Prince David and Princess Mae (later Kāwika I and Queen Leialoha). His father was the eldest child of King Kamaka, while his mother was a professor at the University of Hawaii – Manoa before her marriage. As a child, he was called David Oliver to distinguish himself from his father, also named David. David Oliver's younger sister Princess Cecilia was born two years after him, while his younger brother Prince Daniel was born nine years after him. David Oliver was raised in Kaʻaʻawa Palace, the traditional residence of the heir apparent, in Kaʻaʻawa. After beginning school in 1980, he began spending time with his grandparents in Honolulu, as travel from Kaʻaʻawa to Honolulu specifically for attending school became difficult. Education David Oliver began his education in 1980 at Punahou School, a private coeducational school in Honolulu and the traditional school for all royal children in Hawaii. He began high school in 1988, where he was a competitive swimmer. He graduated from Punahou School as valedictorian in 1992. After his high school graduation, David Oliver moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts in Atlantica to attend Harvard University. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology in 1996. David Oliver returned to Hawaii afterwards, and received a master's degree in psychology from the University of Hawaii – Manoa in 1998. Heir apparent For most of his early life, David Oliver was second-in-line for the Hawaiian throne behind his father Prince David. On 29 August 1995, King Kamaka died of a stroke, and Prince David ascended to the throne as king, becoming Kāwika I. David Oliver subsequently became the heir apparent and first-in-line for the throne. Marriage While studying for his master's degree at the University of Hawaii – Manoa in 1997, David Oliver became introduced to Tallulah Sato, who was studying in a five-year B.S./M.S. degree program for pharmacy. They soon began a romantic relationship, which was officially confirmed by the House of Alohalani in 2000. The relationship originally caused slight controversy in Hawaii, as a non-Native Hawaiian had never married into the royal family before. However, David Olivier assured the people of Hawaii that should he and Sato marry, she would be as great a queen as any Native Hawaiian could be, and that her race had no bearing on her ability to be a queen. David Oliver and Sato became engaged in June 2001, and later married on 13 April 2002 in Honolulu. Sato gave birth to their first child on 18 June 2004. After the birth of their daughter, Princess Isabella, Hawaiian legislators drafted a law to adopt absolute-primogeniture, ensuring that Isabella would have the right to rule regardless of the birth of younger male siblings. Their second child, Prince Jason, was born on 26 December 2005, while their third child, Prince Jackson, was born on 14 March 2007. Reign Succession On 13 May 2009, Kāwika I died of heart failure, and David Oliver ascended to the throne as king. Upon becoming king, he took the name Kāwika II, while his wife took the name Queen Māhealani. His coronation was held on 19 June 2009. Constitutional role The King's main tasks are to represent the Kingdom abroad and to be a unifying figure at home. He receives foreign ambassadors and awards honors and medals. The King performs the latter task by accepting invitations to open exhibitions, attending anniversaries, inaugurating bridges, etc. As an unelected public official, the King takes no part in party politics and does not express any political opinions. Although he has the right to vote, he opts not to do so to avoid even the appearance of partisanship. After an election where the incumbent Prime Minister does not have a majority behind him or her, the King holds a "King's Meeting" in which he meets the chairmen of each of the Hawiian political parties. Each party has the choice of selecting a Royal Investigator to lead these negotiations or alternatively, give the incumbent Prime Minister the mandate to continue his government as is. In theory each party could choose its own leader as Royal Investigator, but often only one Royal Investigator is chosen plus the Prime Minister, before each election. The leader who, at that meeting succeeds in securing a majority of the seats in the National Assembly, is by royal decree charged with the task of forming a new government. Once the government has been formed, it is formally appointed by the King. Family Main article: Hawaiian Royal Family. The King has one daughter and two sons, all of whom were born at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu, breaking the tradition of royal babies being born in Kāhala Palace. *Princess Isabella (born 18 June 2004) *Prince Jason (born 26 December 2005) *Prince Jackson (born 14 March 2007) Titles *'7 February 1974 – 13 May 2009:' His Royal Highness Prince David Oliver *'13 May 2009 – present:' His Majesty King Kāwika II of Hawaii Category:1974 births Category:Harvard University alumni Category:Hawaiian monarchs Category:Hawaiian princes Category:Hawaiian royalty Category:House of Alohalani Category:Kings of Hawaii Category:Living people Category:Native Hawaiian people Category:People from Honolulu Category:Punahou School alumni Category:University of Hawaii – Manoa alumni